Heinrich, Udall back free virus testing bill
New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined fellow Democrat, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, to introduce the Free COVID-19 Testing Act, which would expand free tests to confirm coronavirus infections.
The legislation would waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related health care services for individuals enrolled in private health plans, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA as well as for federal civilians, American Indians and Alaska Natives. Private insurers would be barred from imposing limits like prior authorization for testing. For uninsured individuals, the bill would cover the cost of lab fees, and states would have the option and new incentives to cover COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related health care services through their Medicaid programs.
“Whether or not you get a COVID-19 test shouldn’t be determined by how much money you have,” Udall said. “Forcing people to forgo testing because it’s too expensive is both immoral and bad for our public health response.”
“Expanding free diagnostic testing for COVID-19 infections is one of the greatest ways to make our public health response to this pandemic more targeted and effective,” Heinrich added.
ICE: NO DETAINEES HAVE CORONAVIRUS: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said none of the agency’s detainees had the coronavirus as of last week.
The agency said in a statement to the Journal that the health, welfare and safety of detainees are among the agency’s highest priorities. The agency said epidemiologists have been tracking the outbreak, regularly updating infection prevention and control protocols, and issuing guidance to ICE Health Service Corps staff for the screening and management of potential exposure among detainees.
“ICE continues to incorporate CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) COVID-19 guidance, which is built upon the already established infectious disease monitoring and management protocols currently in use by the agency,” the statement said. “In addition, ICE is actively working with state and local health partners to determine if any detainee requires additional testing or monitoring to combat the spread of the virus.”
The American Civil Liberties Union, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center and the Santa Fe Dreamers Project sent letters to the Torrance County Detention Facility, the Otero County Processing Center and the Cibola County Correctional Center – where detainees are housed – asking that they develop prevention plans with the DOH and ICE.
BORDER HEALTH SCREENINGS: The five members of the New Mexico congressional delegation are among lawmakers introducing legislation that seeks to strengthen multi-national cooperation to screen for infectious diseases at the border. It would support public health initiatives in border communities that face unique cross-border challenges.
The Border Health Security Act of 2020 would authorize $10.5 million per year for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in consultation with the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission and U.S. Canada Pan Border Health Council to issue grants for states, tribes and tribal organizations, local governments, hospitals and nonprofit health organizations and others.
It would designate a grant program to prioritize recommendations outlined by the commission and council to improve the health of residents along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders. Grant funding would be used to address issues including infectious disease testing, monitoring and surveillance; public health and public health infrastructure; health conditions with high prevalence; medical and health services research; and workforce training and development.
Udall, Heinrich and U.S. Reps. Deb, Haaland, Ben. Ray Luján and Xochitl Torres Small are co-sponsoring the bill with U.S. Sens, Martha McSally, R-Ariz., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., John Cornyn, R-Texas and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz.
